308 CHOKE-BORES. 



effect of this resistance is exerted cliiefly upon the 

 outer circles of pellets, and that too upon that portion 

 of their surfaces farthest from the centre of the 

 charge. One result is that their progress is somewhat 

 arrested, and the inner pellets crowd by in advance, 

 those in the very centre of each layer of the charge 

 and farthest from the resistance being the first to pass 

 through the muzzle, carrying the wad before them. 

 A further result of so encountering this constriction 

 is the communication of a rotary motion to those 

 pellets coming in direct contact with it, and these in 

 turn retard and communicate, though in less amount, a 

 similar motion to those pellets nearer the centre. 



So, as each outer circle acts upon its contiguous 

 inner one, rotary motions are established in the dif- 

 ferent pellets, varying in velocity with the amount and 

 direction of the resistance each encounters ; the front 

 of each pellet moving toward the point of its greatest 

 resistance and consequently away from the centre of the 

 charge. 



A clearer understanding of my meaning may per- 

 haps be obtained by reference to the accompanying 

 enlarged figures, in Fig. 1 of which A, B, C, D i^. 

 meant to represent a longitudinal section of the muzzle 

 of the gun ; E, F, G-, H, and I, a section of a layer of 

 pellets showing their relative positions before the con- 



